Why should we be ashamed of what we are doing?" demands Sudama Devi. We are earning a living." In a state where women are boUght and sold like cattle, the case of this wizened woman from ChoUhka
A lot, apparently. Neem Azadirachta indica and the I?roducts derived from it have traditionally been widely used for centuries, especially in India, for medicinal purposes and pest control. Recognising its vast potential, Western science and industry
Bhargava adds: "Unfortunately, neem is not the only case where we have lost out. We (at the CCMB) discovered a protein called seminal plasmin (published in Nature and widely publicised in the late
21.8.85 USP 4531114 Terumo Corporation, Japan: HOT WATER EXTRACTS OF THE NEEMBARK, active against mouse L-5178Y cells and transplanted sarcoma 180 tumours; use: anti-cancer properties
7.8.90 U5P 4946681/2.1.91 EP 0405701 W R Grace&Co, USA: METtlODTOPREP~AN J MP R OVED STOM G E"SJABLENEEM SEEDEXTRACTfo r the prod uc. tiollof stableazadirach till sol~tions cowp!ising
An additional search for neem-related patents through the US patent database, carried out in late December, 1995, revealed the existence of two more patents. Both were obtained by US corporations:
